


Clearing the Air

by TheLadyVagabond



Series: These Little Conversations [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Bruce Wayne is a Good Dad, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Dick and Alfred are in the background, Father-Son Relationship, Mainly about Bruce and Jay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-26 08:28:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21371149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyVagabond/pseuds/TheLadyVagabond
Summary: “Hey Bruce.” Jason blurted out in an obnoxious tone to hide his nerves at the conversation he was about to start, walking in and flopping on the chair on the other side of Bruce’s desk.“Hey Jason.” Bruce parroted back in that annoying way he did anytime Jason entered with a statement like that. He didn’t even look up from his papers and Jason rolled his eyes. What was it Dickie had called it? Dad humor?A one-shot that takes place not too long after Jason arrives at the manor.
Relationships: Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne
Series: These Little Conversations [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1546867
Comments: 20
Kudos: 365





	Clearing the Air

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting on my computer since I thought of it for months, so I figured I would finally post it. Please excuse all typos and grammar atrocities! Feel free to leave comments, I'll try and answer. There may or may not be more oneshots? I'm not very good at following through but I really do want there to be more stories out there of Bruce being a good parent.  
Thanks for reading!

“Hey Bruce.” Jason blurted out in an obnoxious tone to hide his nerves at the conversation he was about to start, walking in and flopping on the chair on the other side of Bruce’s desk.

“Hey Jason.” Bruce parroted back in that annoying way he did anytime Jason entered with a statement like that. He didn’t even look up from his papers and Jason rolled his eyes. What was it Dickie had called it?  _ Dad humor? _

“Look, so, I’ve been thinking about it.” Jason announced, and this time he knew his voice had hit that awkward tone because Bruce had suddenly put his pen down and focused all his attention on him.  _ Shit _ . Jason took great interest in staring at some weird medieval painting in the corner. 

“The way you act sometimes, I just figured I’d clear the air. I mean I lived on the street and all that, but there was never any - ya know - “ He waved awkwardly clearing his throat. “- bad touches. Or anything like that. I mean like, my old man was a jerk and he would, you know,” He made a hitting motion and then winced at the miniscule twitch around Bruce’s eyes that the man clearly hadn’t been able to stop himself from, “but not you know,  _ bad touches. _ ” He rushed out to change the subject.

There were a couple of beats of silence. 

“What your father did,” Bruce said finally, voice carefully controlled in that way that Jason had started to learn meant that Bruce was trying to be careful with what he said, not that he wasn’t feeling anything as he said it, “was still  _ very much _ , a bad touch.” 

There was force to the words, not the bad kind, not the angry kind, but the determined kind that made Jason shrink back a little in his seat because he still wasn’t sure what to do with that kind of attention - with someone getting mad  _ for _ him and not  _ at  _ him.

“But,” Bruce continued, “I appreciate you letting me know because we all want to make sure you feel comfortable here with us.”

Jason nodded awkwardly, again not able to deal with the emotions the conversation was bringing up - it was awkward when Bruce was all earnest and shit.

“Ok, so good talk,” Jason started, hopping up.

“Jason.” Bruce said quietly, making him freeze. “How have I been acting?”

Jason hunched his shoulders. “Nothing. You haven’t been acting like nothing -” He said quickly.

“Jason -” Bruce sounded worried and that was just  _ weird _ it made his  _ skin crawl _ .

“It’s just - you’ll like, I don’t know ruffle Dick’s hair or touch his shoulder and it’s not that I want you to do that shit with me or anything, I’m not a  _ baby _ or shit,” Jason started babbling, not sure why he was saying what he promised himself he would  _ die _ before admitting, but he just didn’t want to hear Bruce talking in that fucking weird tone of voice anymore.

He was interrupted by a warm but light touch on his shoulder. Tensing he turned and - and Bruce was kneeling behind him, hand gently on his shoulder, eyes stupidly earnest.

“You’re right. I was afraid that you might not want me to - initiate any kind of physical affection with you, and I’m sorry. Instead of assuming I should have asked you what you were comfortable with.” Bruce said seriously.

“S’fine.” Jason said, unable to look at the man’s eyes anymore, heart beating a little too quickly, because - because he’d thought. “I just thought, you know, maybe you didn’t - I’m not like Dick,” He started awkwardly, throat feeling tight. He wasn’t some cute happy go lucky kid that anyone in their right mind would have wanted to adopt.

“No.” Bruce said firmly. “You are most certainly not Dick. You, Jason, are yourself. And that is exactly who I want you to be.” 

Jason blinked and looked at him in surprise.

“Is it ok if I hug you?” Bruce asked solemnly. 

“I -yeah.” Jason hated that his voice cracked and that his eyes felt weirdly wet. “I mean I guess. If you want.” He babbled, and didn’t get to say more than that because suddenly he was enveloped in - in a hug.

Jason hadn’t been hugged since...Jason could barely remember the last time, it was like a faint memory in the back of his mind, snow was on the ground and he was helping his mom with groceries and everything had seemed really tall and big and he’d slipped and cried until she’d picked him up and - He grabbed onto Bruce’s shirt suddenly horribly afraid that Bruce was going to let him go. He was suddenly and viciously not ready for Bruce to let him go and he was horrified that his grabbing would prompt just that, but instead Bruce gave him a squeeze and held him a little tighter. 

Jason wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that. They only pulled apart when Alfred announced lunch from the hallway - and that - it had definitely been a ways from lunch when he’d marched into Bruce’s office. Bruce didn’t even mention that Jason was rubbing his eyes on his sleeves afterwards. Just ruffled his hair and told him to get washed up with this weird almost smile at the corner of his mouth that made Jason almost want to smile - so he scowled. “Whatever old man.” He managed before running out of the room before he smiled himself.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out [**My Tumblr**](https://thevagabondcave.tumblr.com/) for DC stuff, primarily the batfamily. I'm going to start posting headcannons and other musings there.


End file.
